EVICTION THREATS AFTER POLICE RAIDS

People involved in drugs and violence in the Avenham area of Preston
could find be evicted from of their homes, police have warned.

Evidence is being gathered which could lead to house closures and
anti-social behaviour orders (ASBOs) following the violent scenes near
the Jamea Masjid Mosques, Clarendon Street, on Sunday October 1.

Search warrants have been executed and arrests in the police
investigation into the incident, in which a 16-year-old Asian youth
was stabbed.

Letters have been delivered across Avenham with a message from Preston
police Chief Superintendent Mike Barton urging local people not to
take the law into their own hands and to report any information they
received on to the police.

Insp Paul Wilson said: "It was quiet in the area over the weekend.
There has been no repeat of what happened on October 1.

"A lot of officers in the area are carrying out intelligence gathering
work, which all goes towards building cases for housing evictions and
ASBOs."

Three more search warrants were executed in the area over the
weekend.

Two people were arrested on suspicion of possessing drugs on Friday
night.

On Sunday two further raids were executed, with one person arrest for
drugs possession.

The three people arrested have all been released on police bail while
forensic examinations take place.